Loneliness was the main reason older people made calls to Alone’s national support line last year, according to the charity’s annual report.
The report, released on Tuesday, said that of the 26,413 calls received by its national support line, loneliness was the primary theme of the calls.
About one third of people experiencing loneliness told Alone they did not have someone to visit them, while 9 per cent reported not having been out socially in over a year.
Emotional and mental health interventions increased by 122 per cent compared to the previous year, according to the report.
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Energy prices also had an impact on older people last year, with 38 per cent of people calling the support line reporting “utility issues”. Assistance with energy credits was a common intervention provided by the charity, the report said.
There was a 198 per cent increase in legal or financial interventions made by Alone in 2023, with 30 per cent of older people reporting issues in these areas.
The charity supported over 38,482 older people across Ireland in 2023. It has increased its number of volunteers by 45 per cent since 2022.
Last year its 7,188 volunteers delivered 218,497 hours of volunteer support to older people. Volunteers made a total of 91,188 visits , providing “support, practical assistance and social prescribing”.
“What we are most proud of is the fact we were able to deliver 86 per cent of supports people requested from us in 2023,” said Sean Moynihan, Alone’s chief executive.
“Alone’s support covers a wide range of areas, and in some ways, we are a single source for everything you need to access to age at home. Our supports range from helping older people adapt to their bathrooms, to addressing social isolation, and everything in between,” he said.
One of the supports the charity offers is technology services, which involves finding “the right device” and assistance with learning how to use them.
Throughout 2023, Alone provided and installed 2,554 assistive technology devices to older people throughout Ireland.
Among the examples of people who availed of the service was a man named George, who has “no family around” his area.
George got a free trial on the internet and a tablet from Alone.
“George speaks with family on video calls now regularly and is included in WhatsApp groups. George also attends an internet for beginner’s class in the local community. Technology has changed and improved his outlook on life,” the report said.
A woman named Bernie, from Inishowen, Co Donegal was hospitalised with a fall in 2023. The woman has dementia and was already linked with a support coordinator.
The family and the support coordinator worked together to install a ring doorbell camera, a door sensor and two indoor cameras, with motion detection and two-way communication. Bernie also wears a falls watch which is monitored by a 24/7 service and is “now happily living at home”, the report said.
Alone’s corporate donations fell 25 per cent last year compared to 2022, but its benefit in kind or “non-cash” donations increased by 27 per cent, and income from the HSE also increased by 29 per cent.
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